About a year ago I attended a miserable work function at a Bulls game at the United Center (needless to say, the Bulls lost). A dessert cart came to the skybox, and I selected a piece of key lime pie, and it was wonderful. It was the real deal, i.e., not green. Anyone who finds themselves in a skybox at the United Center should indulge.

Re: the United Center dessert cart, I interned with the Bulls one summer and we would get to try out the food for the suites every day - it was amazing. Turtle cheesecake, white chocolate mousse in chocolate cups, some concoctions that I had no clue what they were, they were just yummy. If you ever go to a suite at the UC, save room for dessert. You will not be disappointed.

The best pecan pie is at the Conch Restaurant in Key West........ best locally is at the Chicago Sweet Connection on the NW side.....it's a bakery supplier for a lot of restaurants (Pappadeaux, Cy's, Pete Millers, Mortons,Lawry's, etc)

This is sort of the weird thing about it - I can't think of a good place to find pie (thus the posting of this question) that isn't from a chain restaurant. During the holidays those lines going out the door at Baker's Square are pretty intense.

A few nights ago, the girl and I were thinking about getting a nice warm slice of pie with ice cream or whatnot somewhere and we couldn't think of a good place that had good pie in the city. I mean there's diners and there are cafes and whatnot but no place that was known for pie.

I was hoping (and there have been some decent suggestions here) for some secret little pie spot.

Sweet Mandy B's on Webster has some great pies. Also Bennison's Bakery in Evanston makes a great brown bag apple pie. Both also have a fantastic selection of other delights.

If you want some legendary pie, Crane's in Fennville, Mich., is hard to beat. You can even have them shipped (great for the holidays, just look for them on Google). Further away, the Norkse Nook in Northern Wisconsin and Betty's Pies on Minnesota's North Shore are both beyond heavenly.

Actually, you know where they make REALLY good, NON-CHAIN pie? The Medici on 57th in Hyde Park. Gracie and her boys, who arrive at, like 3am every day to make all the pastries, make an apple pie that is TO DIE FOR, which they'll heat up (no microwave) and serve a la mode, if you ask. They also do a very nice pecan pie, and a mean carrot cake.

If you're ever in Maine, go to Spurwink Country Kitchen in Scarborough, near Portland, for fabulous pie. Maine, just about every diner you visit makes their pies from scratch, daily...but SCK is where I worked, and will always be my favorite. They do strawberry rhubarb, peach blueberry, plus all the traditionals (lemon merengue, coconut cream, chocolate cream, blueberry, apple, pumpkin, pecan). God, now I'm getting homesick...

Years ago I met an Amish family and was offered a slice of cherry pie. It was terrible, which really surprised me--you'd think the Amish would know their pie. Maybe that's just what they feed the English, I don't know. Or maybe I should stop making cultural assumptions.

I'm more of a cake girl anyway. But I concur with Jenny on the Medici.

It just occurred to me, but Sweet Thang on North has lots of tasty items AND it has atmosphere. I haven't been there in a while though so I'm not sure of their stock of pie, but they are definitely a cute sit down and have dessert kind of place.